New Year's Resolution - Get the Kid's Crafting

I hope Santa was good to everyone. Around here we are up to our ears with blocks, pirates, puzzles and more. Santa also replenished the kids craft stash. Using a holiday or a birthday as an excuse to load the kids up with craft supplies is always one of my favorite ploys. Just because Christmas is over does not mean you are too late on this gift idea. Spend the money Aunt Gertrude sent on a slew of paint and glue and make it your New Year’s Resolution to get your kids crafting.

Looking for a little inspiration? Here is a list of what Santa brought my kids....

PAINT

Finger Paints

Paint Dot Markers

Glitter Poster Paint

Neon Poster Paint

Pack of Paint Brushes (be sure to include round sponge brushes and a roller brush)

DRAWING

Crayon Rings

Plain Markers

Plain Crayons

Window Markers

Colored Pencils

Scented Markers

Fabric Markers

THINGS TO PAINT

Small canvases

Wooden Frames

Paint with water books

Jumbo sized coloring books

Blank canvas tote bag

PAPER CRAFTS

Toddler Scissors

Array of foam stamps

Scented stamp pads

Stickers (TONS of stickers)

Construction paper

Craft Glue

Glue Sticks

Glitter Glue

Blank Cards

Pre-inked stamps

BLING

Glitter

Colored Sand

Pom Poms

Feathers

Santa also brought a few things that are not exactly craft supplies, but are intended to spark creativity...

Tallulah asked for a Doodle Bear. This is a stuffed animal that comes with a washable fabric marker. Doodle the bear, wash and repeat.

Santa wanted to have the elves make a light table for the kids, but alas it was cost prohibitive. Instead a small table top version was delievered that is actually a light tracing box. Sure we will trace, but we are also doing things like playing with our Magna Tiles on top.

Choo-Choo's are big around these parts. Santa brought a giant cardboard train to paint, color and adorn on a rainy day.

Aqua Doodle is a big hit with Baxter. We received a small lap top shaped mat for our birthday last year and I found a giant floor mat at a thrift store this summer. Santa brought a variety pack of sponge brushes, sponge tipped pens and stencils especially made for Aquadoodle. Not familiar with this toy? It is a piece of fabric that changes color with water. Let the fabric dry and start all over.

Play Doh. Last year I made my own, this year Santa brought the real stuff. Two kits were also stuffed down the chimney. One makes Play Doh candy and another makes Play Doh jewelry.

Pre-assembled card making kits. Tallulah loves to decorate cards. Santa stuffed 10 popcorn bags with a random assortment of stickers, blank cards, colored pens, stamps and more. This is much easier than handing over a giant box of stickers and paper that Baxter inevitably dumps all over the floor. I keep the finished cards to send for holidays and thank yous.

So what crafting supplies did your kid’s get from Santa? More importantly how do you plan to store it all? Do you keep it tucked away and get it out when the kid’s ask or do you have it accessible for them to get to on their own?

***I was compensated & given free supplies by I Love to Create. Mama has gotta pay the bills somehow and really who in their right mind would say no to free craft supplies***

Kids Table Centerpiece - The Christmasaurus

My daughter's favorite Christmas book this year is called Merry Christmas Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt. We read it daily even though we have 20+ books about the holidays currently floating around. In the book the worried little child asks his mother question after question including one about a Christmasaurus.

After a trip to the Blue Genie Christmas Bazaar where I made a couple of purchases from a vendor by the name of Plaid Pigeon an idea was born. Today for I Love to Create I'm going to show you how to make a quick and fun centerpiece for the kids table. Usually kids dream of the day they will be upgraded to sitting with the adults, but with a Christmasaurus as the centerpiece they are never going to want to leave.

SUPPLIES

Plastic dinosaur

Crafty Chica Paint red

Scissors

Scribbles Paint in green

Small bottle brush tree

Aleene's Tacky Glue

Paint brush

Pom Poms

Small Ornaments

Glue gun

When your kids are not looking steal the plastic dinosaur toy that has been floating at the bottom of the toy box untouched for months. Using scissors or a knife cut a small hole in his back. It does not matter if the hole is rough looking the tree will cover it.

Once you have your hole paint your dinosaur. Mine needed two coats of red paint. Allow to dry completely in-between coats. Next go in an embellish with polka dots. I used Scribbles paint because I wanted shiny puffy spots.

When your polka dots are dry shove the base of your tree in the hole and adjust. From here squirt a whole bunch of Aleene's Tacky Glue inside to hold in place.

Decorate the tree with what you have on hand. In my case it was some pom poms I stole from my kid's craft pile and some tiny rogue ornaments that never made it on one of my 38 Christmas trees. I used a hot glue gun to attach. All that is left to do is display your new Christmasaurus.

***I was compensated & given free supplies by I Love to Create. Mama has gotta pay the bills somehow and really who in their right mind would say no to free craft supplies***

Vintage Style STYROFOAM, Fabric and Sequin Hot Air Balloon Ornament

I recently got to spend the evening at one of my favorite places in Austin - Stitch Lab.  Well actually, the old Stitch Lab. It was evening of crafty fun with some fabulous ladies.  We all decided to take a class together to learn how to make spangled ball ornaments.  You know, like the tacky ones your Aunt Zelma had on her tree.  Ya those.  Anyway, I made mine into a hot air balloon so today for I Love to Create I thought I would show you how to make your own.


SUPPLIES
STYROFOAM Ball
STYROFOAM Cone
Serrated knife
Aleene's Foamtastic Foam Glue
Fabric Scraps
Decorative Ribbon
Sequins
Pins (sequin style and those with decorative heads)


I don't wanna give away too many of the trade secrets so that people will still take this amazingly fun class.  First things first you want to cover your ball with fabric.  Use a combination of sequin pins and Foamtastic Glue. Once you have a base on your ball it is time to start adorning and that is where the fun begins.  Use trim and ribbon to cover any raw edges you might have.  Again a combination of glue and pins can be used.  Using sequins, beads and decorative pins add sparkle!


For the bottom of your hot air balloon cut off the base of a small STYROFOAM cone using a knife with a serrated blade.  Use another piece of foam as sand paper and smooth out the rough edge.


Cut fabric scraps and ribbon to fit on your base and using Foamtastic glue and pins attach into place.

Once you have your balloon and base looking how you want it is time for them to join forces.  Cut 6 lengths of decorative trim.  Mine are about 5"s long.  Dip the ends of your string in glue so they do not fray.  Using pins attach the string to the balloon at the equator of your ball.  Next attach the string to the base.

All that is left to do is add some string to your ornament and hang.  I added a wee little Buda charm to mine, but be sure to give someone a ride in your new hot air balloon.

***I was compensated & given free supplies by both I Love to Create and Me on a Pumpkin.  Mama has gotta pay the bills somehow and really who in their right mind would say no to free craft supplies***

I'm Dreaming of a Kitschy Christmas - A Decorated Home Tour

I thought I would share a few pictures. A friend who came over in October asked me: "Do you go as all out for Christmas as you do Halloween?" I promptly replied "no". The sad thing is I thought I was telling the truth. However, now that Christmas is up and all over the place I see that clearly I decorate just as much for Christmas, if not more.

These pictures are of my bar (which no longer holds booze, but instead kids craft supplies) and the shelf above. In this close up you can see the elf we are using to play the Elf on the Shelf game.

Right around the corner from the bar is a dollhouse that I rescued from my mother and decked out for Christmas. Thanks Corey Moortgat for the inspiration. I'm also in love with my new clock from World Market.

Next is the little shelf above my kitchen sink. My father-in-law was so proud of me for actually having green trees this year. I said I had always had green trees, but he informed me that lime green tinsel didn't count.

This is my view while standing at the sink out into the game room. Those two sided picture frames from Ikea are perfect here.

Here is the opposite side looking into the kitchen.

Also from World Market I got a new cookie jar to add to my collection.

I didn't do much in the dining room this year. We never eat in there and I will be renting tables to serve Christmas dinner in my game room. I did however decorate this one little area. Yes I jumped on the tree atop a car bandwagon and yes that is the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazard.

My most prized holiday decoration hangs in the dining room, a wreath made by mom Fredda Perkins.

The living room is where we spend most of our time so it is where I did most of the decorating. There are 25 trees in this room alone.

Did I organize the top shelf with just red, green and white books? You bet I did.

Right next to the book shelf is this little set up. I love the candy striped clothes line and clips from Target. They are for holding cards, but we use them to display the kids Christmas crafts.

My mother donated some of her vintage Santas to me a few years back. I'm a lucky girl I know.

You might recognize the coke crate advent calendar I made last year. I'm totally smitten on the elf band that sits on top. Thanks again mom!

Same wall, different angle. I was stoked to find this vintage Fisher-Price Christmas ad on eBay.

Across the room above the fireplace the pointy toed pom pom fringe endowed stockings are hung on the chimney with care. A glitter covered deer created by my sister Hope Perkins acts as the centerpiece for my hula hoop wreath.

Never mind Jake and the Neverland Pirates on the TV. Here is the entertainment center this year. I went with a pink, red and purple theme.

I found this Santa my mom made in the 70's in a closet and promptly brought him home with me.

Elves, Putz Houses and blow molds - oh my!

When you have small children who tend to pull things like big Christmas trees down your only choice is to put them up high.

This is my first year of dipping into the world of color coordinated Christmas, I'm kinda feeling the pink.

Speaking of a color coordinated Christmas let's come full circle and step back into the game room, this time on the opposite end of the room from the bar.

I kinda threw a little bit of everything in the green or blue realm up on top of these bookshelves, but I think it works.

I hope the giant fish appreciates that I did all of this to match him.

Last, but not least is one lone teal tree across from the blue bookshelves.

So what do you think? Too much? Wanna see what the house looked like for Christmas 2011? Oh and there are more pictures on Flickr. Now that I have admitted to myself that I love decorating for Christmas as much as I do Halloween I am dreaming about the kitshcy holiday shopping at this year's Round Top flea market.